


Blood and Sand

by fab_fan



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Rewrite, F/F, Friendship, Romance, Sad, Season Finale, Series Finale, Sort of Death, angsty af
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:42:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24311485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fab_fan/pseuds/fab_fan
Summary: Raelle clenched her jaw as a spasm of pain ripped through her, “You...you gotta take care of Tally, alright?”“Raelle,”“And...and make Anacostia proud. She’d kick your ass if you didn’t.” her words began to slur.“I’m not leaving you. Now shut up.” Abigail’s face was turning pale, “Or I’ll kick your ass.”Raelle blinked slowly, “Tell S-Scyl I didn’t mean it. I...I didn’t...I couldn’t stop. Never stopped.” Eyes dimmed, “If you don’t have lobster at my funeral, High and Mighty, I’ll tell everyone you cried over a Cession shitbird.”Abigail’s eyes widened.
Relationships: Abigail Bellweather & Raelle Collar, Abigail Bellweather & Raelle Collar & Tally Craven, Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn
Comments: 55
Kudos: 338





	Blood and Sand

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, I really need to stop doing this or at least slow down, but it seems I'm working through my crazed emotions and stages of grief over the season 1 finale through writing, and you all get to go along for the ride. Buckle up, folks. It gets rough. (This also means I cannot be held responsible for how good or bad these stories are. I'm in an unhinged ugly cry emotional state at the moment.)
> 
> Takes place during 'that scene' near the end of Episode 1x10.

Raelle couldn’t see shit.

The blades of the helicopter kicked up the dust like a windstorm, and considering they were already in a windstorm, this was like a goddamn hurricane. The tiny particles stung her eyes mercilessly as she desperately scanned the area. She unconsciously looped up her scourge, body tense as her fingers went through the motions. Her ears rung from the noise of the bird and sweat trickled down her temple. 

This rescue mission had been a shitshow.

Behind her, she could hear Abigail hoisting the little boy up to safety. 

The boy who she’d healed earlier. Who had a cute little grin and held her hand like he would follow her anywhere. At least he let Abigail take him. He’d stuck by Raelle’s side since the moment they met. Like she was his protector. Thank goddess she caught him before he could run even further. He was scared. Terrified. And, she got that. Hopefully, the charm could give him a sense of peace until they got back to Fort Salem. She had promised her dad she would wear it, and she had, but the kid needed it. Needed something to hold on to. Just like Raelle needed those letters from her mom or a certain person’s hand when it got late at night and the horrors of the past seemed overwhelming. 

Giving one last look, Raelle spun around.

She could see Tally, hair white and face wrinkled.

Goddess, if that wasn’t a kick in the gut. 

Tally. Her friend. Her sister. The girl with optimism and warmth who was the steady balm of their unit. The warm blanket on a cold stormy night. She sacrificed herself for Alder. 

Jesus Christ. What was going to happen now?

Her eyes ticked over to Abigail and the boy. The boy was safe, and Raelle let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding. Abigail did it. Of course she did. She was Abigail Bellweather, badass soldier extraordinaire. If there was someone she trusted to get through a mission, it was her. 

The boy was safe. The Tarim were safe. They did it. 

That’s what mattered. 

They actually did it. 

Now, they could go home. Maybe even War College.

She felt a subtle shift around her as Tally’s eyes widened, “RAELLE!”

She didn’t even feel it at first.

Not really.

Just a strange sort of thing.

The world slowed down.

The earth went silent.

She couldn’t hear anything. It was like her head was underwater. Everything seemed fuzzy. Muted.

She looked down.

The sharp end of a blade protruded from her chest.

From her heart.

It didn’t make sense. 

Her mind couldn’t process what was happening. What happened. Didn’t comprehend what this thing was tearing into her flesh and causing red to gush out of her. 

She swayed, legs giving out.

The ground was hard. Slippery. Like oil.

Or blood.

“NO!!!” Abigail’s mouth moved. Raelle barely noticed the wind whip around her, throwing her killer into the air like he weighed nothing.

She rolled onto her back, hand slowly coming to rest where there was a hole in her uniform. 

Anacostia would be pissed that she got blood on her uniform her first time out.

In the haze, she glimpsed Abigail sliding down next to her. The other girl grasped her hand, quickly attempting to link with Raelle.

To heal Raelle.

No.

That...she couldn’t...Raelle couldn’t let her do that. 

Abigail wasn’t a fixer.

And Raelle couldn’t be fixed.

Deep inside, she knew that. Knew it just like she knew the sun rose in the east, Abigail liked plain cheese pizza, Tally liked her tea sweet, and Scylla’s smile was the prettiest thing she’d ever seen.

“You have to let me go,” the words sounded foreign to her. Like someone else was saying them.

Abigail stared at her, not letting go.

Why wouldn’t she let go?

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

It couldn’t be. Not Abigail. Not her sister. 

She lost her mom. She’d lost Scylla. 

She wasn’t losing Abi.

An image of Porter flashed in her head, faint but real, and Raelle knew. Knew that if Abigail didn’t let go…

“I’m sorry.” 

“What?” Abigail faltered, energy draining.

“ ‘m sorry.” Raelle murmured. 

“Shut up, shitbird.” Abigail bit out. Her eyes glistened with tears and determination.

Raelle clenched her jaw as a spasm of pain ripped through her, “You...you gotta take care of Tally, alright?”

“Raelle,”

“And...and make Anacostia proud. She’d kick your ass if you didn’t.” her words began to slur.

“I’m not leaving you. Now shut up.” Abigail’s face was turning pale, “Or I’ll kick your ass.”

Raelle blinked slowly, “Tell S-Scyl I didn’t mean it. I...I didn’t...I couldn’t stop. Never stopped.” Eyes dimmed, “If you don’t have lobster at my funeral, High and Mighty, I’ll tell everyone you cried over a Cession shitbird.”

Abigail’s eyes widened.

Head lolling, Raelle ignored the pain as she pressed her cheek into the dirt. Grit and stone filled her mouth as she used every last ounce of strength she could find to rip her hand free of Abigail’s. Mouth twisting and throat constricting, she sang the seed so perfectly Anacostia would have been impressed.

Abigail skidded across the ground, flipping backwards and tumbling to the base of the helicopter.

Arms instantly reached down, grabbing and pulling.

“No!” Abigail screamed, “Let me go! No! Raelle!”

Abigail kicked and twisted as she was forcibly dragged into the helicopter.

“Go. Take off.” a voice called out.

“Raelle!” Abigail’s voice was drowned out by the helicopter rising up to the heavens. Arms wrapped around her, holding her. Tally. It was Tally, sobbing and saying her name over and over again.

Raelle watched through half lidded blue eyes as the helicopter swerved and dipped before rocketing off into the distance.

Warm liquid bubbled up in her throat. She coughed, specks of blood coating her lips and tongue. The tangy taste of iron filled her senses. She watched it lazily spill out onto the ground, brown and orange and red mixing together like paint on a little kid’s canvas. Maybe the little boy liked to paint. He was probably good at it.

She coughed again, the action ripping through her chest like fire. She groaned. It hurt. It hurt so much. She closed her eyes, suddenly tired. 

So tired.

“Hey, baby.”

Raelle’s chin trembled as the first tear spilled down her cheek, a tiny river of salt before it met the deep red gathered at the corner of her mouth. 

The earth shifted and tilted. Ghostly hands smoothed down her face, cupping her cheeks and tickling the baby hairs at the nape of her neck.

“Scyl?”

“Can’t leave you alone for a minute.” 

Raelle breathed in shakily. She turned her face into soft palms, brushing her lips there, “Didn’t mean to.”

“Yeah, you say that a lot, babe.” 

Raelle’s eyes cracked open to tiny slits. As her vision came into focus, she saw her. Scylla. Crouched down beside her. As beautiful as the day they first met. Bright blue eyes and striking smile framed by a glorious sunlit halo.

“Always getting into trouble.” Scylla tutted playfully.

“You...you like that ‘bout me.” 

“I like a lot of things about you.” Scylla stared into her eyes. 

“You…” Raelle’s voice gave out. 

Scylla shushed her. Her hands marked a path down, easing onto Raelle’s over her slowing heart, “Shh. It’s ok. You’re ok.”

Raelle’s breath caught in her chest as blood trickled down her chin. 

“I love you.” Scylla whispered. She squeezed Raelle’s hand, her pale skin unmarred by the red staining Raelle's. Her thumb lovingly stroked bruised knuckles.

Emotions flashed across Raelle’s face, contorting her features with agony and despair, “ ‘m sorry, Scyl. S-sorry.” 

“I know.” 

“I-I”

A hand cupped the back of Raelle’s head, pillowing her blonde locks. “We know. We all know.”

“I...I told my dad...I promised…” she’d promised him she’d wear the charm. That’d she’d come back. 

She promised.

“He’s proud of you, Raelle.” Scylla assured her. “We are all so proud of you. You did good.” She smiled gently, “I love you.”

Raelle flexed her fingers, sand and dirt sticking to the hand splayed out to her side. Her brows scrunched in confusion,“ ‘re we at the beach?” 

“Yeah, Rae. We’re at the beach. Can’t you feel the sand? Smell the ocean? We’re watching the boats go by.”

She could. She could taste the salt in the air. Hear the crash of the waves in the distance. She coughed again, limbs heavy. "You like the beach." Her gaze flickered. A hint of something prickled her palm. She drowsily lifted it from her chest, barely able to raise it high enough to see. 

A raised S peeked through the grime.

"Scyl?"

"Yeah, Rae." somehow she was everywhere. Her voice in Raelle's ear, strong yet supple arms cocooning her.

“So tired.” Raelle suddenly couldn’t feel anything. Not the ground or the sun or Scylla. All she could feel was...the call to sleep. “ ‘m tired, Scyl.” She thought about lighthouses. 

“Go to sleep, Rae. It’s ok. I got you. I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise?” 

“Promise. Now close your eyes.”

Raelle did as she was told. 

The world exploded around her.

**Author's Note:**

> I completely 100% understand how important the scene was between Abigail and Raelle for their growth and bond as friends/sisters/unit mates. But, I couldn't help myself. I can now ugly cry over the actual scene and this scene. Double the ugly cry!


End file.
